Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

When oil is traded in US cash, the currency is called a petrodollar. It's a fundamental part of international trade -- but it's also a continual source of conspiratorial allegations. Join Matt and Ben as they explore the fact and fiction surrounding the petrodollar. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmil...

In the wake of disaster, Amazon employees petition to keep their phones with them as they work. Biologists conclude mass poisoning is the best way to combat an island's invasive population of mice. Scientists are, apparently not for the first time, making some pretty serious breakthroughs in the art of getting pigs to breathe through their rectums -- and these scientists are wondering if, one day,...

Newport law enforcement seemed anxious to cover up the true story of Eduardo Tirella's death, but Tirella's family -- as well as residents of Newport -- refused to forget the story. In the second part of this two-part episode, journalist Peter Lance explains what happened in the aftermath of his new investigation into the death, as well as his earlier investigations into other cold cases across th...

Tall Pockets hips the guys to a creepy doll named My Friend Cayla. Trusty Otter explores the potential dangers of Tornado Cash. Dark Sky asks for more information about that time Sears got involved in the global arms trade. All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.m...

Did billionaire heiress and socialite Doris Duke get away with murder in 1966? In the first part of this week's two-part episode, the guys join award-winning investigative journalist Peter Lance to explore what led him to dive into this decades-old cold case -- and learn how his discoveries led to a new investigation in the modern day. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastn...

Death - the most mysterious, unknowable, and terrifying event in human experience. Some philosophers believe society is shaped, ultimately, by the fear of death. So what actually happens when you die? Is there anything after? Learn more in this classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.c...

Australian police plan to use DNA sequencing to predict a suspect's physical appearance. In New York it appears someone is secretly listening to prisoners' phone calls. Breakthroughs in artificial intelligence have resulted in new discoveries in the field of mathematics... at the same time that AI is also making stunning, disturbing breakthroughs in weapon design. All this and more in this week's...

If you're like most people, you've interacted with a countless number of memes -- screenshots, gifs, classic pop culture moments in film and so on. While society often regards these ephemeral units of information as little more than a passing fad, it turns out memes have enormous potential. They can influence thought and behavior. They can become weapons of war. Learn more about your ad-choices at...

Why was Gandhi convinced one woman had truly been reincarnated? Are memes actually alive? What's going on at the Steelcase Pyramid? All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...

Today, most people associate asbestos with health risks, expensive removal operations and specific forms of cancer. However, for much of human history this substance was thought to be miraculous -- a perfect, fire-resistant additive to everything from cement to household products and toys. In today's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into the tragic, multigenerational story of a sweeping cover-up -...

In the 1980s, a mysterious organization terrorized candy companies in Japan - then disappeared. What was the Monster with 21 Faces, and what happened to it? Are any members alive today? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Honolulu's Board of Water Supply shuts down Oahu's largest water source when a fuel leak contaminates drinking water. China's lunar drone is approaching a mysterious object on the moon's surface -- experts aren't yet sure what it is. Scientists are building a 'black box' for humanity in Tasmania, meant to document the events leading to the decline of current civilization. All this and more in this...

Did Doris Duke get away with murder? Who was really behind the 1994 AMIA bombing in Argentina? What led to the death of General Bond in Groom Lake, and why did the US try to keep it a secret? Tune in for all this and more in this week's Listener Mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/...

Who can put a price on art? Every year, anonymous buyers and sellers across the planet move works of fine art for millions of dollars, with no questions asked. It's a playground of the well-off -- and, it turns out, one of the best places in the world to launder dirty money. In today's episode, Ben and Matt dive into the conspiracy surrounding fine art and money laundering Learn more about your ad...

For millennia, indigenous communities in North America and other parts of the world told stories of a gigantic, predatory bird with the ability to alter the weather, punish the wicked, and sometimes aid the righteous. In the modern day, most people consider these bits of folklore to be just that -- legends and myths. But could the story of the Thunderbird be based on some grain of truth? Tune in t...

On December 1st, 1948, Somerton beachgoers discovered a well-dressed, anonymous corpse. More than 50 years later, investigators still aren't sure what happened. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the heels of a recent report on UFOs (or UAPs), the Pentagon officially announces plans for a new, acronym-littered initiative to investigate mysterious things in the sky. QAnon supporters continue to wait for revelations in Dallas. The CIA director warns Russias spies that there will be consequences if it turns out they are responsible for the rash of 'Havana syndrome' incidents occurring acro...

Houston authorities knew Travis Scott's annual Astroworld festival was going to be a huge deal, and spent a great deal of time planning for any possible contingency. However, this planning wasn't able to prevent tragic deaths and multiple injuries as the crowd descended into pandemonium. And, even before the dust settled, thousands of people began circulating strange claims on social media, arguin...

A listener relates the strange story of a name that came to him during an intense hallucination. Listeners ask whether anyone else has felt they've predicted the future via their dreams. A caller relates several funny (and occasionally dangerous) stories of real-life spycraft. All this and more in this week's Listener Mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com T...

If you look around, how much plastic can you see? The answer might surprise you. Current civilization runs on plastic -- it's in everything from the depths of the ocean to the heights of Mount Everest, and it will remain long after we are gone. In today's episode, the guys ask: Can humanity end its addiction to this miracle material? What would the planet look like without plastic? Learn more abou...

It's no secret that DC is home to numerous conspiracy theories -- but how many are true? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An NGO called the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance has classified the United States as a backsliding democracy. A list of popular passwords may indicate people are increasingly less cautious than they should be. Multiple cities are falling prey to crowdsourced looting, thought to be coordinated in advance via social media. All this and more in this week's Strange News...

Each year, the horrors of addiction claim thousands of lives -- but what if some substances can break the cycle of drug abuse? Join Ben and Matt to learn more about hallucinogens and addiction. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for...

Anvil Alf relates his experience with lucid dreams. A caller asks for more information about the Knox Mine disaster. Skippy wants to know what exactly is going on over at the Idaho National Laboratory. All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fi...

Antarctica is one of the most mysterious places on the planet. If the ice melted, what would we find beneath? Find out in this classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.